Bangladeshi batsman Imrul Kayes has confirmed his retirement from first-class and Test cricket. The 37-year-old made the announcement on Facebook, stating that his last red-ball match will be for Khulna Division in their National Cricket League (NCL) game against Dhaka Division at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, beginning on Saturday, November 16.
Kayes posted a 1-minute 29-second video showcasing key moments from his cricketing journey. In the video, he expressed:
“Assalamu Alaikum, I’m Imrul Kayes. With love and respect to all my Bangladeshi cricket fans, I want to share that I will soon be making a difficult decision regarding my cricket career.”
”On November 16th, I will officially announce my retirement from Test and first-class cricket. This has been the most challenging and emotional decision of my 17-year career (translated from Bengali).”
The left-handed batsman represented Bangladesh in 39 Test matches, accumulating 1,797 runs at an average of 24.28, with three centuries and four fifties. His last Test appearance was in 2019 against India at Eden Gardens, where he scored just nine runs across two innings in a heavy defeat by an innings and 46 runs.
Additionally, Kayes featured in 137 first-class matches, scoring 7,930 runs at an average of 33.74. His tally includes 27 half-centuries and 20 centuries, with his highest score being 204.
Imrul Kayes to remain in the white-ball format
Although the experienced batter has retired from the red-ball format, Imrul Kayes will continue his career in white-ball cricket. The 37-year-old has played 78 ODIs for Bangladesh, accumulating 2,434 runs at an average of 32.02, including 16 half-centuries and four centuries.
His latest ODI appearance was in 2018 against the West Indies, where he was dismissed for a duck in a four-wicket loss. Kayes has also featured in 14 T20Is, scoring 119 runs at an average of just 9.15, without any significant achievements.
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